The Little Death
by writingISmyART
Summary: Sakura and Sasuke fight to the death. Who will be the victor? In the Epilogue, Naruto reflects on his life without Sasuke and Sakura.
1. Part One

**The Little Death: _Part One _**

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To himself everyone is immortal; he may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead. _**

**_-Samuel Butler  
_**

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**

**He was dying, but so was she.**

**Beneath her, she could feel him going cold – his heartbeat growing fainter and fainter. And even though it was by her hand that he was going to die, she was suddenly frightened to loose him. Even though she would go with him, she regretted their bloody fate.**

**-  
**

**Back when we were in the Academy, it had always been a competition to get his attention. Ino, of course, had always been my biggest competitor. It had always been nothing more than a big game. A challenge only one of us could win. Back then, I hadn't actually known or understood what love was. I didn't realize back then that what I called love was just a simple schoolgirl crush.**

**But then he left me.**

**For five years he was gone, and the feeling of betrayal has never completely gone away. Even after the feeling subsided a little, I didn't know if I could actually feel real love for him.**

**However, lying here, dying on top of him - _dying with him _- there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was, forevermore, deeply in love with him.**

**This was no longer a game.**

**----------**

**It had started out as a simple mission – another lead to finding him. Naruto had hastily sped ahead of me, as always. This lead had been promising. "Team Hawk" was on the move somewhere near one of Orochimaru's old testing buildings. We figured there was something there that Sasuke wanted.**

**_Sasuke. Our Sasuke, _I thought, _Or is he even ours anymore? _**

**The journey passed without consequence, which didn't surprise me. Since we defeated the Akatsuki years ago, Sasuke was now our only issue. We arrived at the testing site to find it destroy – rubble and rock everywhere. I never did get to find out why he destroyed the building, but it didn't really matter.**

**The instant we were within range, Sasuke's little hussy knew our every move. I had studied Karin's abilities to the maximum depth I could. Our recruited team: Naruto, Hinata, Sai, Yabuto Kakashi, and I had devised a plan for eluding her. As we came closer to her, we moved in random, crossing patterns. She still knew we were there, but we were moving so fast she didn't have time to figure out how many of us there were, or who was the strongest of the group. Hinata found her, and I took advantage of the thirty seconds of confusion I had to move in on her.**

**Naturally, I missed the first shot. As soon as I was singled out of the group, she had my location pinned, and rolled out of the way. As I engaged in combat with her, the rest of the team moved to their positions. Sai and Hinata quickly took down Suigetsu, while Kakashi and Yabuto struggled with Jugo for a moment. Naruto pushed ahead to fine Sasuke.**

**_Sasuke, _I thought of him again, _If you really wanted to, wouldn't you have come home after the defeat of the Akatsuki? _**

**After my first shot missed, I expected her to counter-attack, but she surprised me. After throwing me an evil glare, she turned and fled the way Naruto and the rest of the team were going. No doubt she was doing what any girl would do if she suddenly found herself open and unprotected – run to the strongest.**

**"Hey!" I shouted angrily. I gotta say, girls who can't stand alone really piss me off, (not that I was one to talk; up until a couple years ago). I launched myself off the ground and caught her around the ankle, dragging her back down to the ground. We hit hard, but unlike her, I rolled with the force.**

**She staggered to her feet, and I think might have even _growled _at me. "What do _you _want?" she snapped.**

**I leaned into my fighting stance. "Sasuke," I answered.**

**Karin smirked. "Wow," she laughed, "Who knew someone with such a big forehead could have such a small brain!" Suddenly, her mouth screwed into a frown, and her tone went harsh, "Haven't you figured out by now that Sasuke will _never _go back to you?!"**

**I ignored her words. If I let her get to me now, the whole plan would fall apart. "Comment on my forehead one more time, you little for-eyed bitch," I goaded her, making sure to keep my anger in check, "Come on, I dare you."**

**She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at me in a smug way that seriously ticked me off. "Why do you even try, if you know he won't come back?" she sneered, "What's the point?"**

**I lunged toward her again, knowing full well I wouldn't be able to hit her, but that was okay, my strategy didn't involve me getting her just yet.**

**"Not getting upset, are we?" she spoke from a tree branch she had jumped up to after sidestepping my punch. She walked down the branch as if she wasn't even touching it, though I knew full well she was. "Are you just realizing the error of your ways?" she asked me, her tone clearly conveying how full of herself she was now that it was just me and her - one on one, "Are you just now questioning whether or not your mission is possible?"**

**I clenched my hands into fists and narrowed my eyes at her, "Never!" I shouted, moving the conversation along. I needed to get her angry; to get distracted and come at me so I could lay just one good punch. So, I said something I knew would get to her, "Unlike you… I would do _anything _for Sasuke!"**

**I got the effect I wanted. Karin may have been cocky and obnoxious up until this point, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was still a girl, and a girl who had feelings, (however fake or lustful they might be), for Sasuke.**

**_Would you? _I had to question myself, _Would you do anything for him? _**

**Yes. I would. For nearly three years now, I had been chasing Sasuke. I would do anything for him. Anything. Even if it was against his will.**

**Karin gritted her teeth and tackled me from high ground, taking away my chance to hit her hard. I rolled with her and we engaged in a small cat-fight. It was petty and ridiculous, but if it was the only way I could get close enough, so be it.**

**"You may love Sasuke like the pathetic childhood friend you are," she grabbed my wrists to keep me from smashing those ugly-ass glasses into her even uglier face, "but he will _never _love you!"**

**_She right, _I told myself, _he may never love me, but I don't care. _**

**Twisting my wrist around, I broke out of her grasp easily. As she lost her balance and came falling forward onto me, I used my now free fist to punch her right in the gut, feeling the crack of two ribs I broke and the warmth of blood from he mouth that sprayed across my face as she went flying off. She hit the tree she had once been up in, and then another crack sounded when she hit the ground. It wasn't until she struggled to her feet once more that I saw the other crack had been her left arm, which she had landed on when she hit the ground.**

**Mistake number one: _She had underestimated me. _**

**I wiped some blood dripping from a scratch on my face, and winced when a little dirt got into it. Aside from, maybe, the bruise on my right shoulder, the scratch was the worst she had done to me. I almost felt sorry for beating her up so badly with only one hit, but whatever. So girls were meant for battle, and some were not.**

**"Give up Karin," I told her, rising to my feet, "I'll kill you if I have to, but I _am _going through you."**

**She smiled a small, amused smile, and sat down against the tree trunk. "Now why," she gasped a little and I could only hope one of those ribs I broke had punctured a lung, "W-Would you want to do that, when what you're looking for is… is right here?"**

**I crooked an eyebrow quizzically, _What is she talking about? _**

**A sigh came from behind the tree, followed by a voice so familiar, I still knew who it was after all this time. "So much for the element of surprise," it murmured.**

**I froze. My eyes widened, and he stepped out from behind the tree. His raven hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, and though his body was facing one way, his dangerous red eyes turned and locked onto mine. I expected an instant illusion or something like what Itachi was capable of doing, but nothing happened.**

**I waited – nothing – I relaxed a bit.**

**"I'm sorry Sasuke," Karin reached up with her good arm and took her glasses off. Almost instantly, she became this sweet, innocent, big-eyed girl who needed protecting. Honestly, I wanted to vomit. "Guess I should have watched my moves better," she smiled a baby-doll smile at him, (her voice magically okay, _now). _**

**Sasuke's voice was just a monotone as I remembered, "Yes, you should have." He unsheathed his sleek, long, sword and turned to face the rest of his body to me. Ever so slowly, one step at a time, he walked towards me.**

**Karin shifted awkwardly and winced a little out of pain. "Y-You go ahead, Sasuke," she tried to keep her voice bright, but the pain of her condition gave her away, "Kill her. I'll do better n-next time."**

**Sasuke came to a halt just after passing the tree. "Karin," he still spoke in monotone, so emotionless and cold, I could see it even frightened Karin a little, "Now what could possibly make you think…"**

**I blinked and I missed it. The next thing I knew, Sasuke was in front of Karin, and his sword was through her chest.**

**"… that there would even _be _a next time?"**

**He pulled his sword out and stepped away from her. Karin lifted her only good arm, (the one with her glasses in hand), outstretched as if she were trying to reach for him. Tears from her eyes and blood from her lips trickled down her face.**

**"S-Sasuke…" she didn't have anything left, I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice, "… w-why?"**

**Sasuke smirked, then closed his eyes and shook his head. "Karin, when a tool becomes broken beyond repair," he stopped shaking his head, but his eyes remained closed, and the smirk didn't wavier, "you dispose of it."**

**Karin gasped her last breath, and then everything seemed to move in slow motion. Her eyes rolled back in her head; her eyelashes fluttered closed; her fingers released the glasses, and her arm fell to her side. I flinched when at last her glasses hit the ground, and a spider web crack erupted across the lens.**

**Mistake number two: _She had expected Sasuke to save her. _**

**With two flicks of his sword, Sasuke's blade was clean of Karin's blood. He took a step forward, and I couldn't help but reflexively step back. He took another and I stayed where I was.**

**Another step… and a couple more… and suddenly, he was only a foot away from me.**

**He looked off into the distance, "Since it won't take long for them to figure out they're trailing a shadow clone, we should probably begin," He turned those eyes on me once more, but again there was no move to attack me, "Well?"**

**It took a moment, but I finally found the voice I had longed to speak to him with, "W-What?"**

**"Aren't you going to say something?" he placed a hand on his hip and looked like he was expecting something, "You know, fall to your knees and beg me to come home with you?"**

**My eyebrows slanted, and my fists tightened, I took a step back and shook my head at him, "No, Sasuke. I'm not giving you any options this time."**

**I could see I had slightly surprised him. "I see," he murmured, "Then once again, you'll try to take me back by force." It was a statement, but it sort of sounded like a question.**

**"No," I replied, my tone as hard as I could make it at the time, "I don't want you back, Sasuke."**

**It was clear by his expression that he was actually curious as to what I had to say next.**

**"Sasuke," I had to pause to swallow what felt like a lump of lead in my throat, "I'm going to kill you."**

A/N:

To see the picture that inspired this FanFic, ask me and I'll give you the link.


	2. Part Two

**The Little Death: _Part Two _**

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"He who lives by fighting with an enemy has an interest in the preservation of the enemy's life." _**

**_-Friedrich Nietzsche  
_**

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**"Sasuke," I had to pause to swallow what felt like a lump of lead in my throat, "I'm going to kill you."**

**He grinned at me, and his sword twitched, out of what I could only guess was excitement, in his hand. "You tricked them," he stated, "Your own team."**

**"You killed Karin. Your own team," I replied solemnly, "We do what we have to."**

**"You've grown," he commented, "Mind, body and soul."**

**"I had to," I explained, speaking not only with words, but my hands as well, "I needed to understand you. I needed to get in you head and figure out why you've done what you've done up until this point. I thought maybe if I did, I wouldn't go completely insane thinking that you had no reason."**

**"And?" he pressed me.**

**My eyes fell to the ground. "And I've got nothing," I told him, "I realized I could never understand the immense amount of pain and suffering you've gone through…" I looked up at him, my eyes dark and angry, "But I also don't forgive you. No matter what the circumstances, you always had the option of coming home and being happy with us in Konoha, but you just casted us aside." I took a deep breath to calm my rising temper. "And now, maybe I have gone insane… Because I've come to the conclusion that there is only on way to put you out of your misery," I elucidated, "I'm going to kill you, and then myself, because as mean and hurtful and horrid you are… you don't deserve to go alone."**

**It was quiet for a moment after I finished my monologue. He no longer wore surprise across his face, for his expression was blank. Which was bad really; I would've liked to know what he was thinking.**

**After what seemed like hours, he spoke, "Then so be it."**

**Looking back now, I know he went easy on me. He barely used his Sharingan on me, and when he did, he never hurt me fatally. I attacked; I blocked; We exchanged blow after blow. From small scratch and torn clothes, to bruises and gashes from being knocked against the surrounding terrain. I actually managed to land a good blow on his left shoulder, but I barely fractured it.**

**At one point, I ducked behind a tree trunk to quickly heal myself. I couldn't die yet, he had to go first. As I was sitting there, anticipating his finding me, I wondered why he was going easy on me instead of hitting me with some of the stuff he fought Naruto with. A small - very small; tiny even - part of my subconscious told me he was going soft because he loved me, but I seriously doubted that. And then it occurred to me. The only reason Sasuke would be holding back…**

**… is if he _wanted _me to kill him.**

**He found me soon enough and I bolted. He chased me through the trees and out to a stone clearing surrounded with huge walls. I stood, helplessly looking up at the walls, feeling like prey that had just been cornered.**

**I sensed him step out of the line of trees at the edge of the forest and whirled to face him. He seemed to be smirking at me, but he couldn't mask the sadness in his eyes. Not from me.**

**_If he wants me to kill him, _I thought, _he must be sad that I'm trapped, and he's winning. _**

**No. I had to win. For both of us. I had to bring the end to both our lives so we could finally be done. There would be no more suffering, for anyone.**

**He came at me once more, pushing me back towards the wall, but I grabbed his hand and twisted it until he released his sword. As it clattered to the ground, I thought I saw him smile, but shook it off. He quickly took a swing at me with his other hand, but I grabbed that one and held it as well. We pushed against each other, but it was clear that when it came to brute strength, Sasuke couldn't match me.**

**Thinking on my feet wasn't something I was always good at, but when I noticed how close to the stone wall we were, and then his sword lying on the ground at me feet, my actions were no longer my own.**

**"Sasuke," I breathed, still struggling against him, "It's time."**

**Quick enough that he had no chance of stopping me, I used my foot to ollie Sasuke's sword up off the ground behind me. Then I stopped pushing against him, and he pushed us both backwards, We hit the wall hard, and blood splattered across it as it pushed his sword through both of us.**

**It hurt for only the first second, when it went through my chest, barely missing my heart, and then I went numb. Both of us reached the point where we could no longer stand, and toppled over. The tip of the sword hit the ground and pushed it back through us as we fell, without completely coming out.**

**We lay on the ground, unmoving. Sasuke's back on the ground; me on top of him, the sword coming out of my back. Blood soaked the ground as I knew we were bleeding to death.**

**I felt Sasuke's heart only a step before mine, _Badump… Badoom… Badump… Badoom… _Being highly trained in medics, I knew that as soon as his heart started slowing, he'd have thirty heartbeats before he died, as would I.**

**I fought off the numbness and reached my hands up to his face and hair. "Sasuke.." I gasped, feeling my lungs being squeezed and giving out on me, "I'm s-sorry."**

**Slowly, his arms crept up from his sides to hold me. It was with that little motion that I felt his heart slow two beats before my own.**

**_30 beats… 29… 28… _**

**"Don't be," he told me, blood trickling from his mouth, "I wanted… you to."**

**I couldn't help it. Tears ran down my eyes and hit his cheeks. "I know," I whispered, "I just… d-don't' know w-why…"**

**_27… 26… 25… _**

**"Because… I love you, Sakura."**

**I shook my head, "N-no," I protested, "That… doesn't m-make any sense."**

**"I t-think it was… in t-the woods, during the c-chunnin exams-s," he explained hoarsely as more and more blood flooded the area around us, "T-That was when I… f-first started loving you… When y-you took s-such a beating just t-to pro-protect Naruto and m-me."**

**_24… 23… 22… _**

**I just stared. I didn't know what expression my face held, but it made him smile.**

**"I-I had to leave y-you th-though," I could hear his words slurring out of pain, "I c-couldn't p-put you in d-danger any-more, s-so I… l-left."**

**"Oh, S-Sasuke," I moaned, more tears running from my eyes, "D-Don't you s-see? You h-hurt me… more b-by leaving, th-than you w-would have by s-staying."**

**_21… 20… 19… _**

**"S-Sakura," he cooed, "I'm s-sorry. I j-just wanted y-you to be h-happy. Even if t-that meant g-giving y-you up t-to someone w-who could b-be there for y-you."**

**"W-What?" I was confused, "Naruto?"**

**He had wanted me to stay with Naruto. He had wanted me to grow up and get married and have kids with Naruto, because he believed Naruto could protect me, and make me happy.**

**But I couldn't see it. Even now, so close to dying in his arms, I could never imagine any life without him.**

**"S-Sasuke," I smiled down at him, "Y-You're a big-bigger idiot th-than Naruto s-sometimes. H-How could y-you even t-think I w-would w-want anyone else but y-you?"**

**_18… 17… 16… 15… _**

**"Heh," he gave a weak laugh, his body shuddering under me, "E-Even in d-death, you ch-chose m-me. T-Thank you, S-Sakura."**

**I felt it now, the crushing regret I knew would come with killing us. I wanted nothing more than to save us, so we could have the chance to live together. I suppose that's the final wish of any dying person: To live again. I just wanted someone to save us. Or, if not both of us… at least save Sasuke.**

**_14… 13… _**

**I started to raise myself up off of him. I knew what to do. O was going to give up the last of my life to save his. Now, before his heart stopped entirely.**

**As if he had read my mind, he constricted his arms on me so I couldn't get up anymore. "Sakura…" he pleaded, "…d-don't."**

**"But," I objected, "I h-have to… I h-have to s-save y-you."**

**"No," he replied, "Y-you d-don't deserve t-to g-go alone, e-either."**

**_12… 11… _**

**"Sasuke," I leaned in close to him, and brought my mouth down on his, kissing him tenderly with what strength I had left.**

**He kissed me back. Neither of us minded the numbing pain, or the blood and tears. We saw, smelled, felt, heard and tasted nothing but each other, and that was just fine.**

**Finally, I pulled away and stared into the atramentaceous eyes that had eluded me for so long, coming through as the Sharigan faded.**

**_10… 9… 8… _**

**"SAKURA!" a grief-stricken, and all too familiar voice screamed my name from the edge of the forest.**

**I didn't have to look to know it was Naruto, and I didn't have to be a genius to know he was too late.**

**"G-Guess he f-figured out y-your lit-little plan," Sasuke struggled, "T-Took him long e-enough."**

**"An-Another r-regret," I responded, "I h-hate to l-leave h-him a-alone."**

**Sasuke gave another half-hearted laugh, "He'll live."**

**_7… 6… 5… _**

**"I-I t-think, I h-have t-to… g-go now," Sasuke gasped, and the pool of blood grew in size, though I'm sure most of it was mine.**

**"Me t-too," I agreed, only a beat or two behind him now.**

**He grinned, "I d-don't' know i-if w-we're go-ing to t-the s-s-same pl-place, S-Sakura."**

**I leaned over and touched my forehead to his. "W-We are," I whispered, "I j-just… know i-it."**

**"Tch."**

**_… 4 … 3 … 2 … _**

**"Sasuke," I called, choking on the blood filling my lungs, "I love you."**

**"I know," he whispered, "I just… d-don't know w-why…"**

**_… 1 … _**

**His heart stopped beneath me, and I lived about 3 seconds longer than Sasuke Uchiha - the love of my life, and my death.**

**_There are a lot of things neither of us knew that day, but we didn't care, because we loved each other, and that was all we needed._**

**_Because love isn't about knowing or even living. It's about wanting._**

**_Wanting nothing more out of life than to be with one person, so that when your lives finally come to an end, you can die…_**

**_Together._**

A/N:

You may think that this is the end, but it's not.

There's still an Epilogue.

By the way, to see the picture that helped me write the fight scene, ask me and I'll give you the link.


	3. Epilogue

**The Little Death: _Epilogue _**

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"When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable."  
-Madeleine L'Engle_**

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**Naruto Uzumaki stood silently in front of the two graves he had visited once a year every year since he first put his two best friends underground. Into the stone tombs the names _Sakura Haruno _and _Sasuke Uchiha _were scratched.**

**To think, the 19th Anniversary of their deaths would be one of the happiest days of his life.**

**As always, Naruto laid two flowers down, one on each grave. For Sakura – a pink cherry blossom. For Sasuke – a red and white ruffled tulip. He then sat down in front of the graves and removed the red and white hat he had been given that morning.**

**"Hey guys," he greeted the graves as usual, "Another year has come and gone, I guess. We're all 35 now, did you know that?"**

**Neither of the graves responded of course, but Naruto wasn't expecting them to.**

**"Sakura, your dad says 'hi'," he told the grave on the left, "I think he's been doing better since your mom passed last year, but he seems to space out a lot if you ask me.**

**"And Sasuke? Tsunade accepted my notion a couple months ago, before she retired. The Uchiha Clan village has been turned over to me and my family. We moved in, and are renting out some of the other homes to friends, but I promise we'll take good care of the place."**

**Naruto sighed. So many things to tell them. Where should he start?**

**"I did it, guys," he announced, "The ceremony was held this morning. I am officially the Hokage."**

**Silence.**

**"I wish you could have been there, guys," he continued, "I don't know how, but Hinata got all our crazy kids to behave themselves through the whole thing."**

**He motioned his hands to the white robe and the hat on the ground beside him, "Of course, now I have to wear this stuff, and I can't even tell you how many people have stopped me on the street just to tell me that I look exactly like my father."**

**He laughed, "I wish I knew if that was compliment, though."**

**  
_  
"Oi, Naruto!" Kakashi called from where he stood leaning against the Yamanaka flower shop. The white haired ninja scurried over to him, walking around Naruto in a circle._**

**_"Um… Hello, Kakashi," Naruto greeted, "What's up?"_**

**_Kakashi took a step back and eyed Naruto appreciatively. "Wow. Are you ever the spitting image of your dad," he commented._**

**_Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Um… thanks?"_**

**_Kakashi did that weird thing where he closed the one eyes that showed and seemed to be smiling. "No problem," he answered, then he opened the eye again and got very serious, "I have something for you."_**

**_Naruto raised an eyebrow at him, "O-kay. What is it?"_**

**_Reaching behind him and pulling out an orange package, tied together with string, Kakashi explained, "Your dad wanted Jiarya to give you this when you became the Hokage, but it seems he's going to be out of town for your ceremony in an hour, and asked me to give this to you._**

**_Naruto took the package and unwrapped it. His eyes widened._**

**_"I guess your dad was cocky enough to know that you would become Hokage someday," Kakashi joked._**

**_Naruto pulled from the packaging paper a long white robe he knew so well without ever having seen it before. Red flames licked at the bottom of the robe, and red symbols decorated the back. He pushed his arms through the short sleeves and sighed._**

**_It fit perfectly.  
_  
"You'll never guess who took off to Suna!" he moved on to the next subject, "Shikamaru! Can you believe that? Went to go move in with Temari. I guess they're pretty serious now."  
_  
"You're what?!"_**

**_"Jeez. Calm down Naruto," Shikamaru stuffed his hands in his pant pockets and kept walking, "It's not that big of a deal."_**

**_Naruto jogged to catch up with him, "Shikamaru, you can't be serious! YOU are leaving Konoha for a GIRL? That's so… out of character."_**

**_Shikamaru pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with Asuma's lighter. After a good puff, he blew the smoke out in a sigh. "Well, I am," he replied simply, "There's a new Suna individual taking over Temari's job of traveling back and forth for the peace between Konoha and Suna, and I haven't seen her in months." He took another puff of his cigarette, "Troublesome as she is, I miss Temari, and if she'll have me, I'm going to live in Suna with her."_**

**_Naruto was stunned. "So you're just gonna show up out of the blue and tell Temari how much you've missed her, then you're gonna ask to move in with her and you honestly expect that she's going to say 'yes'?"_**

**_"Yep."_**

**_Rolling his eyes, Naruto said what people have been saying to him since the day he was born, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."_**

**_Shikamaru shrugged, "Maybe so, but I'm still going. I've already said my good-byes to everyone but you."_**

**_Naruto shook his head, "Her brother's are going to tear you apart."_**

**_"Yeah, that has gotten me a little worried…" Shikamaru took another puff from the cigarette, "That and the fact that Temari is probably going to make me quit smoking, since she hates it."_**

**_"And you're still going?"_**

**_"With 15 years of marriage and seven kids under your belt, I don't expect you to understand, Naruto," Shikamaru said, "But I love her, and I'm done waiting around for her to come to me."_**

**_"Tch," Naruto shook his head, "So out of character."_**

**_  
_  
"He sent me a letter of congratulations a couple days ago," Naruto told them, "He went there for a place to live and now he's got a daughter, Yuuku. She's so small." He laughed, "It's funny to think that lazy-ass Shikamaru has a life and a family now, but he does."**

**A breeze ruffled the petals of the flowers on Sakura and Sasuke's graves.**

**"Speaking of Suna…" he went on, "Guess who got married a little while before Shikamaru left? Gaara – to that Matsuri girl. What a weird couple, right? But at least there's someone there for him now. Oh, and he has an 8-year-old step-son now named Tomi, he's the son from Matsuri's first husband who died. I certainly Tomi and Gaara get along. He'd be a great father if given the chance."**

**_"Naruto? What do you have there?" Hinata asked, curiously leaning over his shoulder to see._**

**_"Hm? Oh, it's just a letter from Gaara," he replied handing it to his wife, "He's a dad now, apparently."_**

**_"Eh?!" Hinata scanned the letter, completely surprised, "M-Matsuri? That girl we rescued right before you left for two years?"_**

**_Naruto nodded. "And look at this," he handed her something else, "It's a photo of his new family. He has a son now."_**

**_Hinata eyed the picture appreciatively. In the picture Gaara, dressed as the Kazekage, was standing beside a very grown-up Matsuri, his arm wrapped behind her, around the waist. In front of them, a dark-brunette boy who looked like Matsuri in face, smiling and holding up two fingers in the sign "Peace". They all were smiling, even Gaara._**

**_"They're a cute family," Hinata handed the letter and photo back to Naruto, "Step-son, huh?"_**

**_Naruto took the paper and photo, "Yes, but a family none the less."_**

**_"While we're on the subject of families, Naruto Uzumaki…" Hinata whispered in his ear, "Guess who just woke up from her nap, and is in need of cuddling…"_**

**_"Hmm… You?"_**

**_Hinata rolled her eyes, "Go get Uindo, Naruto, she crying for you."_**

**_Naruto sighed, "Fine. Fine."_**

**_  
_  
"Jiarya is offering to take my boys under his wing for a couple years, like he did me," Naruto elucidated, "but… I'm not sure if I want Hideaki and Chikao to learn the way of the sage, you know? I think it might be too much for them."**

**  
_  
"Dad! You're being ridiculous!" a blonde 14-year-old yelled over the table. Beside him, an identical blonde agreed, "Yeah dad, Hideaki and I are old enough to handle this decision without you."_**

**_Naruto raised an eyebrow, "My answer remains the same. No."_**

**_"Dad-" Hideaki began, but was silenced when his mother held up a hand._**

**_"Boys, you will not speak to your father with such disrespect," Hinata scolded the twins in front of her, "Go clean your room and give me a moment with your dad."_**

**_Hideaki narrowed his blue eyes at his father, completely ready to go another round, but Chikao pulled on his dark blue shirt, urging him to leave their parents be for a little bit. With an angry huff, he followed his twin out of the living room._**

**_Naruto put down the newspaper he had been reading and turned to his wife. "You think I'm being unfair," he meant it to be a question, but it came out as a statement instead._**

**_Hinata, though she had finally stopped her stuttering after being married to Naruto for so long, passed her hands in her lap and touched the tips of her index fingers together out of habit. "Yes…" she replied, "A little."_**

**_"Hinata, you don't know how difficult the training to be a sage is," Naruto argued, keeping his voice light and soft, "I don't want them to have to go through that unless they have to. Not when they still have other options. Options I didn't have."_**

**_"Naruto, you misunderstand," Hinata explained, "Your sons want to become sages because they want to be as great as you are, not because they think it's the only way to go. They've considered their options, and they've made their choice."_**

**_Naruto sighed, "Fine. I'll give them a year, but they better have something to show for it when they get back."_**

**_At the living room doorway, the twins jumped out and slapped high-fives. "YES!" they shouted in unison._**

**_"Boys! That is not cleaning your room!" Hinata snapped._**

**_The boys exchanged glances, and then bolted down the hallway._**

**_  
_  
Naruto smirked, "I swear, guys, if you two saw me with my twins, you wouldn't be able to tell us apart! Minato has my hair, but the four besides the twins don't look like me at all.**

**"Kushina is growing the fastest I think and we definitely picked a good name for her, since she looks more and more like my mom everyday. You know, besides the fact that she's only 7."**

**  
_  
Kushina stepped out into the living room, took one look around at all the people, then disappeared around the corner and slumped against the wall._**

**_About 5 minutes later, Naruto came by, carrying dishes to the kitchen, on his way back to the living room, he noticed his daughter sitting on the ground. He knelt down beside her, and lifted her chin from her knees. "What's wrong, Hime?" he asked, using her favored nickname._**

**_Kushina sniffed, "I'm frightened, daddy. There are so many people, and I don't know any of them."_**

**_"It's okay," Naruto reassured her, "I don't expect you to know them. They're mommy and daddy's friends. They're here to celebrate the birth of your new sister, Uindo."_**

**_"I don't-" Kushina hesitated, messing with the intricately woven fabric of her kimono - tracing her fingers along the swirls of pink and purple that surrounded the butterflies imprinted on the material, "I just... Don't like being around so many people."_**

**_Naruto thought for a moment, then lifted Kushina off the floor and into his arms. Her hands immediately grasped big clumps of Naruto's orange kimono with black toads decorating the bottom. "You're just as timid as your mother was," he commented, "Don't be scared, Hime. I'll hold you the whole time, so you don't have to be alone around all these people."_**

**_Kushina smiled up at Naruto, "Promise?"_**

**_"Promise."_**

**_She looked over at the living room full of people in kimono's, chatting with one another and having a grand time, then looked back at her father. "Okay," she told him, and the two of them entered the party together._**

**_  
_  
Naruto laid back on the grass, staring up at the white clouds moving slowly and silently across the sky.**

**"Uindo is adorable, and only two years old," he continued talking to Sasuke and Sakura, six feet under, "I think even you would have fallen for her cute-ness, Sasuke. She's got this gorgeous brown hair, and even prettier lavender eyes like Hinata. Of course, leave it to Hinata to constantly comment on how much Uindo looks like Hanabi."**

**  
_  
In the hospital bed beside Naruto, Hinata lay asleep. In his arms, the newest member of the Uzumaki family, Uindo, lay asleep as well._**

**_"Hey little one," Naruto whispered, cradling her as he walked around the room, "Welcome to the family. You're lucky number seven."_**

**_Uindo yawned, and stirred a little, but didn't wake._**

**_Naruto smiled down at the little bundle that was his daughter. Seven children and he still felt the same amazement and wonder holding Uindo that he had with his and Hinata's first children, the twins._**

**_"Don't worry," he glanced over at Hinata and then returned to Uindo, "You've got a great mom and dad. I'd give my life to protect yours, and Hinata will love you unconditionally. Not to mention, your other brothers and sisters will make everyday interesting._**

**_"They've been dying to meet you, by the way. Hideaki, Chikao, Sakura, Sasuke, Kushina, Minato, all of them. They're being looked after by your mother's cousin, but you don't have to call him that, you can call him Uncle Neji. He doesn't mind... much._**

**_"And you'll love your room. I mean, for the first couple months you can sleep in the cradle in mine and your mom's room, but then you get to have your own room! You'll be right next to us, so don't worry, but it's a really pretty room. We picked out light blue and white for you, with clouds painted on your ceiling, and lots of toys and everything."_**

**_Naruto sat down in the chair beside Hinata's bed. "You'll like it," he told Uindo, "It's a nice place to live."_**

**_  
_  
"Of course..." Naruto sat up again and looked to the grave on the right, "Sasuke is pretty cute for a boy, I suppose. But he's nothing like you. Always getting into trouble... Trying to be better than his older brothers... Pretty fast learner though... Hm. I guess he's more like you than I thought."**

**  
_  
"You did what?" Naruto asked, folding his arms across his chest and narrowing his eyes at his 10-year-old._**

**_The boy, Sasuke, with his dark more purple-ish than raven-colored, and his white eyes like Hinata's father's, crossed his own arms and pouted at the floor. "She deserved it," he snapped, "She tried to kiss me."_**

**_Naruto unfolded on arm and knocked a fist on Sasuke's head lightly. "Hello? Anyone home?" he joked but kept his voice firm as well, "In case you didn't know, we don't hit girls at school!"_**

**_Sasuke pushed his dad's hand away, and then returned to his pouting, "Well, I hate girls. They have cooties."_**

**_"Cooties? Seriously?" Naruto laughed, "Wow, that's one I haven't heard in a while!"_**

**_"Stop laughing dad!" Sasuke yelled, "It's not even funny."_**

**_All of a suddenly, Naruto stopped laughing and his tone went harsh. "No," he told his son, "No, it's not funny at all. You're going to write this girl an apology letter and you're going to give it to her tomorrow, but for tonight, your punishment is that you have to clean both the bathrooms."_**

**_"What?!" Sasuke shrieked, "I just did it yesterday! It's Sakura's turn, and I'm supposed to clean the kitchen!"_**

**_"Oh don't worry," Naruto continued, "You'll be cleaning the kitchen as well."_**

**_Sasuke's mouth dropped, "But that means I get two chores and Sakura gets none!"_**

**_"Yeah, well, Sakura brought home straight A's, and you brought home a referral," Naruto folded his arms again, "Obviously, you were looking to give your sister a day off chores."_**

**_Sasuke frowned, "Why can't you just send me to bed without dinner like the last time I got a referral?"_**

**_Naruto unfolded his arms and held them both out, like he was weighing something in each palm. "That was then, this is now," he answered, "I like to mix things up a bit. You know, keep you guessing."_**

**_Sasuke tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn't do it. He put a hand over his mouth and snickered. "Dad, you're just a dobe!" he laughed._**

**_"Now where have I heard that before...?" Naruto muttered under his breath then ordered louder, "All right, all right, get going on your chores and be happy I'm not grounding you too."_**

**_Now smiling, Sasuke turned and headed for the kitchen. "Of course, you could always stop getting in trouble, and then I wouldn't have to punish you at all!" Naruto called after him._**

**_Sasuke stopped at the doorway and looked back at his dad, "Come on, Daifu, where's the fun in that?"_**

**_  
_  
Naruto looked over to the grave on the right. "And our girl, Sakura, she's doing great too," he told the ever silent tomb, "She's really smart and very skilled at her Byakugan. She's also very polite and follows orders, while still being fun and exciting. Not to mention, she's really pretty, so she gets a lot of attention from boys. I'm gonna have to start beating boys away with a stick. She's definitely not the Sakura you were, but she still makes me proud to be her father."**

**  
_  
A young indigo-haired girl - her hair cut in a style where it was longer in the front and shorter in the back - stood beside her father, Naruto, staring out at the yard filled with boys and girls her age. She swallowed a lump in her throat and looked up at her father with snow-white Byakugan eyes._**

**_"Daddy?" the girl, Sakura, called, "W-What do I do?"_**

**_Naruto knelt down to one knee and placed a hand on the 5-year-old's shoulder. "You just find someone nice," he explained, "And then you say, 'Hello, my name is Sakura'."_**

**_Sakura scanned the yard again, then took a nervous step forward, only to retreat back two steps. "But, daddy," she spoke while she watched the children, "How will I know which ones are nice?"_**

**_"You…" Naruto hesitated, wanting to word his thoughts just right, "You won't, at first. You'll just have to go meet a bunch of them, and find out for yourself. You know, experiment."_**

**_Once more, Sakura took a step forward, but this time she didn't step back. "Daddy?" she called, "Will you come with me?"_**

**_Naruto smiled, "Sure. Today I will."_**

**_Rising to his feet, Naruto grabbed Sakura's hand and the two of them made their way into the yard. All around them, kids and their parents filled the yard. Some of the kids were playing and having the best time of their lives, while others were clinging to their parents, who conversed with the teacher and other parents. Naruto led Sakura over to a very familiar face, who happened to be the teacher._**

**_"Hey, Iruka," Naruto greeted the man who hadn't changed other than a few more wrinkles and a couple gray hairs, "How's it going?"_**

**_"Ay, Naruto!" Iruka opened his arms to receive a hug from the blond bastard he had known for so long, "How've you been?"_**

**_Naruto hugged Iruka, then returned his hand to Sakura's. He shrugged, "Fine. And you? I didn't get a chance to talk to you when the twins enrolled here, but seriously Iruka? You're still teaching."_**

**_"Well, someone's got to teach the 2nd generation Naruto's and Sasuke's of this village," he laughed, "Speaking of Junior Naruto's… Way to warn me that there would be two of you coming to school here."_**

**_Laughing nervously, Naruto reached his arm back to rub the back of his hair, "Heh. Heh. I didn't mention Hinata and I had twins?"_**

**_"No," Iruka answered, even though it was probably a rhetorical question, "In fact, you failed to mention that you got married to Hinata."_**

**_"Did I?" Naruto dropped his hand, "Huh, I thought I invited you to the wedding…"_**

**_Iruka burst out laughing, "I was kidding Naruto. I was at your wedding!"_**

**_Naruto and Iruka laughed together, then Iruka noticed the blond-haired, blue Byakugan eyed girl in Naruto's hand. "Who's this? Another troublemaker?" he asked curiously._**

**_Sakura flushed and ducked behind her father._**

**_Naruto smirked, "No, I don't think you have to worry about this one. She takes more after Hinata than she does me, despite the blond."_**

**_"Hey there," Iruka knelt down to Sakura's level, "What's your name?"_**

**_Sakura looked up at Naruto, who winked at her, then back down to Iruka. "S-Sakura…" she mumbled._**

**_Iruka blinked once in surprise, then his face softened into a smile. "Hey Sakura, my name is Iruka. I'll be your teacher for the next couple years. That okay?"_**

**_Sakura nodded, and stepped out from behind her dad a little, but said nothing._**

**_"Oh, man!" a high, female, voice cut in, "I know that's not Naruto Uzumaki!"_**

**_Naruto groaned, "Oh no."_**

**_Ino, ever the valley-girl blond, came over and hugged Naruto awkwardly. "Hey, you," she greeted him, "I haven't seen you since your wedding a couple years ago. What, have you been living under a rock or something?"_**

**_"Basically," Naruto joked, "Hinata, the kids and I live in one of the houses on the Hyuuga Plantation, so we never really have to leave."_**

**_"The kids?" Ino crooked an eyebrow at him, then looked down at Sakura, "Aw, who's this?"_**

**_"This is Sakura," Naruto introduced his daughter, pulling her forward just a little, "She's just starting school today."_**

**_Just then, Sai walked up being Ino, placing an arm around her waist. "What a coincidence," Ino continued, barely noticing Sai, "Our son Seiji is starting school today as well."_**

**_Naruto turned his attention to Sai. "Hey man," he greeted, holding out his hand, "You come a long way from not knowing what emotions were."_**

**_Sai smile a true smile he had been wearing for quite some time. "Yeah, well…" he accepted Naruto's handshake, "Guess I just needed someone like Ino to explain."_**

**_"Seiji! Seiji, come here!" Ino called across the yard. A boy with midnight black hair in a low ponytail responded by saying something quick to the kids he was playing with, then running over to his mother. When he got close, Naruto saw that the boy had eyes as black as his hair, and could pretty much guess that Seiji leaned more towards Sai's genes._**

**_"Seiji, I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine," Ino explained, "This is Naruto, I'm sure you've heard about him before." She motioned to Sakura beside Naruto, "And this is his daughter, Sakura, she's the same age as you."_**

**_Seiji took a step forward, and Sakura hesitantly moved from behind her father. Then Seiji uttered the one question that made all three parent's blood freeze, "Your dad is the fox?"_**

**_There was silent for a moment before Sakura murmured, "Yes."_**

**_"Cool."_**

**_Seiji took Sakura's hand and tugged her along, over to meet his friends. Naruto watched with a proud smile as Sakura was introduced to the kids, then included in the game as if she had been best friends with these kids since birth, when she had only just met them._**

**_"Well," Ino was watching the same scene, "She seems to be fitting in nicely."_**

**_"Yeah…" Naruto agreed, his tone giving away his relief._**

**_  
_  
"Of course," Naruto picked up his Hokage hat and fingered in gingerly, "Ino and Sai's first son, Seiji has had his sight set on my little girl for a while. Not to mention, they had another one. Looks just like his older brother, but he's three years younger, so I don't think I have to worry about him. His name is Ryuu, and if you met the kid, you'd be able to tell automatically that his attitude is inherited from Ino."**

**Naruto looked down at his hat as he went on. "So I guess, Minato is last," he told the tombs, "Little guy has gotten really big. I remember when we first saw that blond head of his, we just knew he had to be named after my dad, but interestingly enough, he's got Hinata's face and her lavender eyes, but no Byakugan. Luck of the draw, I suppose."**

**  
_  
Hinata giggled, feeding Minato another spoonful of mashed-something-or-other. The baby put the whole spoonful in his mouth, then squealed in delight, spitting up most of the food._**

**_Naruto entered the kitchen, a half asleep, younger Kushina in his arms. " Morning," he greeted Hinata, then kissed her on the cheek._**

**_She blushed brightly. All these years and she still couldn't stay pale when Naruto was so spontaneous. "M-Morning," she greeted him back._**

**_Minato squealed and laughed at Hinata's red face, which made Hinata go redder, even though it was her own baby boy. Naruto just chuckled and patted Minato on the head, then went to make himself some coffee._**

**_"T-The water in the teapot is still hot," Hinata told him, feeding Minato another spoonful of mush. More of it being spit back up on his chin than being swallowed, however._**

**_Naruto thanked her and pulled a cup out of a cupboard and made himself some coffee, all with one hand, since his other was supporting Kushina. When he finished, he went over to the doorway off the kitchen and yelled down the hall for Hideaki and Chikao._**

**_Only a few seconds later, the twins came sprinting through the kitchen, with nothing more than a "Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" in unison before they tore out of the house._**

**_"Boys!" Hinata yelled, rising from he seat, "Come back! What about breakfast?!"_**

**_"NOT HUNGRY!" they yelled back, already halfway down the path leading away from the house._**

**_Hinata sat back down. "Those boys…" she muttered, "They've been like that every morning for the past week."_**

**_Naruto took a careful sip of his coffee, noticing Kushina had fallen asleep on his shoulder, but not bothering to wake her up. "How much do you want to bet it has something to do with a girl?" he asked, raising his eyebrows._**

**_"A girl, huh…" Hinata stared at the door they had left open on their way out until Minato protested his lack of mush, and Hinata returned her attention to feeding him._**

**_A moment later, a man appeared at the open door. "Hello," greeted none other than Hiashi, Hinata's father._**

**_"Hello Father," Hinata welcomed him into the house, addressing him just as formally as she had her entire life. "You're early," she commented._**

**_Hiashi nodded and entered the house, "Yes well, I was wondering if the children might want to come have breakfast with me on the way to school. We haven't done so in quite a while."_**

**_Naruto nodded as well and went back over to the hallway to shout for Sasuke and Sakura, not even waking Kushina in the process._**

**_"I'm sorry, Father, but you just missed the twins," Hinata informed him, "They took off for school without breakfast."_**

**_"Yes I know," Hiashi replied, his voice wasn't happy, but it wasn't angry either, "They almost knocked me to the ground on their way off the grounds."_**

**_Hinata blinked once in surprise. Of course this meant her father was expecting her to say something about how she would reprimand them later, but she really didn't want to . Lucky for her, Sasuke and Sakura suddenly appeared at the doorway._**

**_"Ojiisan?" Sakura asked curiously, "Why are you here? It's not time to walk to school yet, is it?"_**

**_"No," Hiashi replied, "But I was thinking... How would you two like to come have breakfast out with me before school?"_**

**_"YEAH!" Sakura and Sasuke shouted, diving for their shoes._**

**_The kids said their good-byes to Naruto and Hinata, and left with Hiashi. After the door shut behind them, Naruto heard Sasuke exclaim, "LET'S HAVE RAMEN!" which made both his parents laugh in the kitchen._**

**_When the laughing sub-sided, Hinata pulled Minato out of his high-chair and took him into the living room. Naruto followed with Kushina still asleep in one arm, and his coffee in another. Hinata took a seat on the couch, cradling a yawning Minato. Naruto sat beside her, laying Kushina down on the couch next to him._**

**_"He looks tired," Naruto commented of Minato, whose eyelids were fluttering closed._**

**_Hinata nodded, "He should be, he was very restless all night."_**

**_"Hinata," Naruto cooed, scooting closer to his wife, "Why is it your father hates me?"_**

**_Hinata brushed some blond hair off of Minato's closed eyes. "He doesn't hate you," she whispered, "He just doesn't think you were a very good choice on my part."_**

**_"Twelve years of marriage and six kids, and your father still doesn't think I was a good choice?" Naruto asked in a more strained whisper._**

**_"Well..." Hinata's voice was calm and soft as she kept her eyes on the sleeping Minato, "Maybe he would warm up to the idea... If we had a seventh."_**

**_Naruto went red and his eyes widened. "W-What... like now?" he asked incredulously._**

**_Hinata stood and went over to place Minato in the cradle in the living room, covering him with a blanket and running the back of her hand on his cheek to soothe him when he stirred slightly. When he was finally settled, Hinata turned to Naruto._**

**_"Why not?" she asked, then headed for the doorway._**

**_She disappeared around the corner, and Naruto sat there for a moment, then calmly set his coffee on the table in front of the couch, and not-so-calmly took off after Hinata._**

**_His coffee was ice cold by the time he returned to the living room._**

**_  
_  
Naruto smiled. "I remember the first time I saw the real Hinata," he perdured, "You two had just passed, and I was hurting so bad. Hinata wanted nothing more than to make me happy again. She always made me feel better, no matter what was going on, and so I always wanted to spend time with her..."**

**  
_  
"Father, stop!" Hinata cried, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes, "Please! Don't do this!"_**

**_"Get away from my house, you pest!" Hiashi shouted to an 18-year-old Naruto, "And stay far away from my daughter!"_**

**_"Father!" Hinata pleaded some more, "He's my friend! Don't do this!"_**

**_Hiashi turned on Hinata, who was struggling against two servants who held her where she was. "Naruto?!" he shouted, "It was one thing for me to put up with the bug-boy and the dog-kid, but I will not allow you to be seeing a boy as moronic and fool-hearted as this!"_**

**_"Hey!" Naruto shouted, reclaiming Hiashi's attention, "Who the hell are you to call me 'fool-hearted'?"_**

**_"I am her father!"_**

**_"You are an idiot!" Naruto argued, "I can't believe you're actually going to lock her up in the damned house of yours just so she can't be with someone who makes her happy?! Is it just your live goal to make your daughter miserable?!"_**

**_"I doing this for her own good!" Hiashi snapped._**

**_"No," Naruto contradicted him, "You're doing this because your selfish, and you want Hinata to be matched up with some Byakugan-wielding son of a bitch she's never even met, rather than the one person in this world who loves her more than anything!"_**

**_Hinata stopped struggling; her eyes widened, "N-Naruto?"_**

**_"ENOUGH! Don't you dare speak like that to my daughter!" Hiashi turned from Naruto. "Hinata will remain inside the mansion at all times. She may go through the courtyards if she wishes, but she will not leave the grounds," he ordered the servants, "And that one-" he pointed back to Naruto, "Shall not enter the Hyuuga property for ANY REASON!"_**

**_"Father... No..." Hinata whispered, her head dropping as the servants started to drag her back to the house._**

**_Naruto could do nothing but watch her go... For now._**

**_Later that evening, Hinata was sitting beside her window, looking up and the moon, when a figure crept up to her windowsill._**

**_"Naruto!" she exclaimed in surprise, falling backwards from the windowsill and landing on her butt on the floor._**

**_"Hinata, hey," he jumped into her room and helped her stand up, "You're dressed, that's great, now we have more time to get going."_**

**_"Going?" Hinata questioned, "Going where?"_**

**_Naruto smirked, "Get your shoes, I have something I want to show you."_**

**_Without the need of any more persuasion, Hinata ran to slip on her shoes, and returned to Naruto. He gave her no warning as he scooped her up in his arms and jumped out of the window, landing in the courtyard below._**

**_As they were running through the courtyard, they suddenly came to a stop when a figure stood before them. Naruto set Hinata down and prepared himself for battle in case it was Hiashi or one of his guards._**

**_"Relax, Uzumaki," a step into the moonlight revealed that it was Neji who blocked their path, "I'm not going to stop you. I just want to know where you're going."_**

**_Naruto stood back up and grinned. "Helping me Neji?" he asked, "Won't you get in trouble for that?"_**

**_Neji shook his head, "I'm not helping you with anything. I just asked where you were taking Hinata."_**

**_Naruto frowned, but his tone still told Neji he was clearly happy to have the help. "I'm just going to borrow her for a little bit," he explained, "Take her on a midnight date."_**

**_Neji stepped to one side of the path that traveled through the courtyard, "If I were helping you, I'd tell you that... The servants go in to wake her up at dawn. So, you should have her back before then. And also that you should use the back left gate to sneak out, since the guard on duty is currently looking into another matter. But I'm not helping you, so I didn't tell you that."_**

**_"You...?" Naruto began, but Neji held up a hand._**

**_"Go now before I change my mind, Uzumaki," he interrupted, "And just know that I am in no way helping you. Merely, overlooking something I shouldn't stop."_**

**_Naruto nodded and grabbed Hinata's hand, the two of them running for the gate Neji mentioned. As the two of them passed him, Hinata whispered a quick "Thank you"._**

**_Neji smirked, "Nothing interesting happening tonight, it seems."_**

**_  
_  
Naruto rose to his feet. "I don't know when that idiot Neji is going to get with TenTen already," he sounded like he was complaining about it, "Their so stubborn - both of them. They spend practically all their time together, and they obviously like each other, so I don't know what they're waiting for."**

**He sighed, "Whatever, they'll get there eventually."**

**"Ay! Naruto!" a semi-familiar, male voice called a couple yards behind him, "Hinata told us we'd find you here. What the hell are you doing?"**

**Naruto turned to see Temari and Shikamaru walking up with Gaara, dressed as the Kazekage, following swiftly behind. "Hey!" he called back to them, "Nice of you guys to show up. Too bad you missed the ceremony!"**

**"Too bad you're missing your congratulations party, dobe!" Temari shouted back. She stopped where she was, then waved her hand for him to hurry up and come with them, "Come on, Kankuro isn't gonna watch Yuuku for much longer, so Shikamaru and I have to get back!"**

**Naruto looked back down at the tombs one more time. "Bye guys," he murmured, then turned and jogged over to Temari, Shikamaru and Gaara. The four began chatting as they walked away from the two irreplaceable, best friends Naruto ever had. Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.**

**  
_  
"SAKURA!" he cried, his voice scratchy and full of grief as he laid eyes upon Sasuke and Sakura. A sword killing them both as they drowned in a pool of blood._**

**_He took off towards them. The only thought in his head was: "PLEASE LET ME NOT BE TOO LATE! PLEASE LET ME NOT BE TOO LATE!"_**

**_He thought of all the time he had wasted chasing after that stupid shadow clone, and tears came to his eyes. After it had been disposed of he had noticed Sakura hadn't caught up to them, and cold hard fear had clung to his heart as he and his team sped back the way they had come. They found Karin, dead by Sasuke's sword, Naruto had begun to fear the worst._**

**_Now, here it was. The absolute worst that could happen was unfolding before his eyes._**

**_And he was too late.  
_**

**Fin.**

A/N:

Now we're done.


End file.
